Licking Valley Bass Anglers
Year in review - 2007
 
 
What can I say about 2007?
 
2007 brought the LVBA a year in transition with the loss of several key members that brought the roster down to approximately 13. 2007 also heralded the return of the Dynamite Man to the LVBA with hopes that this is a sign of things to come in 2008 and possibly the return of other members that had to leave the club for various reasons, who knows but we will see in 08! Hint hint Bryan, Tim, Chris!!!!  The year also ushered in the rise of several members that for the past 3 years have made a steady climb toward the top with consistent improvements to their fishing abilities and heightened versatility.
 
The year started at Dale Hollow with wild and bumpy ride to its conclusion. The top 3 winners were on 3 or more completely different patterns with all enjoying success. This is why Dale is such a good choice for an early spring tournaments site. We went to Dale on the 2^nd weekend in March and nearly everyone caught fish. Successful patterns varied so all members should have been able to find fishing to suit there style with successful results. The first morning brought the LVBA freezing temps, high winds and crashing waves. It also brought success to a few anglers with JP Ware capitalizing on shorelines with crashing waves to bag a beautiful smallmouth and stump fields for LM to round out his bag of 24.20 lbs with seven fish for 2 days of fishing and a big fish of 4.72 lb smallmouth and the win. The Prez was nosing around in the backs coves and creeks looking for that early spawning mother of all Smallmouths. Personally, I think the Prez could have given a hoot about the T and was really hunting for that next world record Smallmouth. It is common knowledge that the truly giant bass always, always, always spawn earlier than the rest, that is what the Prez was looking for! Still the Prez weighed in a whopping bag of 16.28 lbs anchored by a big fish of 6.92 LM! Hoppy was also on fish, he was fishing isolated brush piles with flooded wood for keeper LM and nearly pulled it off if his pattern hadn't died on Day 2, that's the perfect example of why you need more than 1 pattern! Hoppy weighed in a bag of 14.62 lbs for 3^rd place. Making it tough to argue about going to a different lake in 2008 for our March tournament. Easily this tournament was the most weight in club history!
 
T2 had the LVBA at Green River. Green is fast becoming a favorite site for our tournaments with a 12-inch size limit, Largemouths, Smallmouths and Spotted Bass available and abundant. We have gone to Green 3 times now and have had 3 very successful tournaments. This is another lake that is an n easy choice for revisiting in 2008.  Green River had the Prez winning the T with 5.14 lbs; Steve Holland in 2^nd with 4.90lbs and 3^rd was Granger with 4.60lbs.
 
Next the club hit the mighty Ohio River. For the first time the LVBA fished Big Bone Creek in the spring of the year. Despite the Springtime visit, co-operative and fishable water levels, great water color the Ohio only produced 3 fish! 1 fish for Hoppy for the win with 1.76 lbs, 1 to Fishhead with 1.06 lbs for second and 1 to Bobby S .80 lbs for 3^rd! The kicker here was the Hoppy and Fishhead did not get in the side bet and missed Paw Paw Louies side pool. Bobby S however was not so foolish and brought home the bucks winning the clubs 3^rd place points, the clubs 3^rd place payout and ALL of Paw Paw's side pool for that 1 scrawny, bank-running rat! As a matter of fact all three places - 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and big fish were all won with scrawny, bank running rats! In 2008 the club really needs to rethink its Ohio River timing. Is there ever a good time to fish the Ohio?

 
Next on the hit parade, they just keep on coming is Kentucky Lake. The LVBA fished the big lakes in the west for the first time in June of the year and for the first time fished out of Kentucky Lake for its launch and tournament release. The heat was sweltering and definitely became and issue in the tournament. Still the Prez did his thing and overcame adversity with another win (10.92 lbs). Second went to Steve Holland with 10.80 lbs and third went to Bob Hug with 3.86 lbs.
 
July brought the LVBA back to its roots and back to Kincaid for the first time since the year 2000! The fishing was disappointing to say the least. Another tough tournament with small bags of 1 or 2 fish weights. Marshal takes the win with 7.22 lbs, Harvey takes 2^nd with 2.94 lbs and Stevie takes third with 1.48 lbs.
 
Patoka Lake in August, bad timing on our part but the potential for this lake is obvious. I know many members do not like Indiana lakes but there are some good lakes in Indiana that we do not take advantage of. However, for the tournament Patoka did not give up much, the Sat prefishing was great; a lot of positive results and hopes for a good weigh in were high. Nevertheless, Sunday brought us results that were other than expected, cold front moved in and the bite we had on Sat disappeared! Another tournament with 1 fish bags for the weigh in. AS tough as the bite was if you caught a keeper you earned it! The weather was great, conditions decent except for that cold front the night before but the fish were definitely uncooperative. However, the potential for Patoka is fantastic maybe a late spring or June tournament there would be better given the more northern latitude we may just catch a late spawn in June of the year. Dynamite took the win with 3.58 lbs, 2^nd went to Little Ricky with 2.14 lbs and 3^rd went to Harvey Adams with 1.74 lbs.
 
Another lake to consider for 2008 is Monroe. We went to Monroe for our Classic 2 years ago and the fishing was great with JP winning, Brain in Second and Fishhead in third for a Classic that was down to the wire. I think everyone caught fish, the weigh in was the best Classic total weight at the time and the lake is right about 3 hours, same as Green River, yet we never went back!! Why is that? new need to give these lakes some serious thought in 2008, there are a bunch of lakes where we have done well in that 3 hour range, Barren River, Green River, Yatesville, Monroe, Patoka. Then in the 4-6 hour range for away tournaments there is Dale, Douglas, Watts Bar, Kentucky/Barkley. No reason for a bad schedule or room for a mediocre tournament site.
 
But I digress from the 2007 Review! Barren River has become our September Lake of choice and with good reason! Given that most other lakes and rivers are getting the annual shad migration from deep to shallows and up the creeks the fishing in September on most lakes is dismal but Barren has been GREAT to the club in September. Even this year when we arrived at the lake and was greeted with low water levels 4 feet BELOW normal! The fishing was definitely affected but was still decent. I'm not sure is we had gone to any other lake with a 4 ft drop in water levels that we would have done as well as we did at Barren. While the results were lower than previous years there was still some decent fish caught and a few different, successful patterns.
 
Fishhead  raised the bar with a 1^st day limit of approximately 12lbs and finished 1^st with a total weight of 14.48 lbs. John Hopkins came in 2^nd with 7.38 lbs and the Prez with 4.72 lbs. Big fish was 3.14 lbs LM. This is the last regular season Tournament of the year and therefore the last shot to make the Classic if not already locked in. Ole Rodster just snuck in with enough points earned from Barren to make it Rods first visit to the Big Show!
 
The Classic brought the LVBA to a new location in Tennessee, Watts Bar Lake! WOW what a beautiful lake with a very high potential. Everyone's hopes were high as the Top Ten checked in through out the day on Friday. While pre-fishing was not allowed, the participants were allowed to go out on the lake during the day and check out areas, boating hazards and dangerous areas.
 
Day one started with a bang! The Prez brought in a big fish on Day one of 4.02Lbs and took the lead for Day one. In pursuit of the Prez were several members including Granger, Fishhead, Bobby S and the Rodster. 6 fish were weighed for the first day and while the numbers were low, the quality was excellent. The fish were all fat, healthy and good size. Smallest Day one was about 2lbs.
 
As the weigh in concluded plans were already in the works, with no pre-fishing, the first day of the Tournament in many cases is just like a pre-fish day and second day is planned based on the results or lack of results from the first day. As Granger battled the roaches in his room, ( I don't mean smoking roaches either) the remainder of the club made there plans for Day 2 and the final showdown for the 2008 Classic Crown.
 
Day 2 started with a beautiful sunrise, a light fog rising from the cool morning water of Watts Barr Lake, hopes were high for a successful day on the water. However, the fish had other ideas, fishing was tougher than the day before. Short fish abound but keepers were hard to come by. Fishhead made a strong drive for his 3^rd classic win with a 4.27 lb Largemouth to snatch Big Fish and a total weight of approx 6.05 lbs, enough to take over first place from the Prez.. Granger claimed to have a limit but he came to the scale fishless. Out of the shadows comes the Rodster with a nice 3+ lb largemouth, similar to the fish he weigh din on Saturday for a total weight of approx 6.7 lbs and edged out Fishhead by approx .7 lbs!!! Less than a pound!
 
So the 2007 LVBA Classic Champion emerges as Rod Gibbons to take home the big prize, all the glory and prestige that the Classic Champion brings with it and bragging rights for the next 12 months!
 
Heard at the dock from the 2007 Classic Champ:
 
" Hey this is the first tournament that I weighed in more than 1 bass!!!"
 
Heard at the dock from the chumps err Champs partner:
 
"He catches the Classic Winner but knocks my fish off the hook with his net job! I think it was a hatchet job!!!
 
Heard at the dock from Granger: "Anyone want to trade roaches, mine are Mexican!!"
 
Well it is in the books now. Rod Gibbons is the LVBA Classic Champion, Fishhead took 2^nd place honors, Leo took 3^rd Place and Granger hangs on for 4^th place.
 
Well that's it folks, the fireworks are over, only the smoke remains clouding my great crystal ball, what will 2008 bring? Now comes the time of year that will most influence next year's success. The club begins the lakes election process and elects officers. Be there for the meetings and take